Movable-flap louver window



A. F. AGNEW Feb. 1, 1955 MOVABLE-FLAP LOUVER WINDOW 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 24, 1952 Feb. 1, 1955 A. F. AGNEW 2,700,802

MOVABLE-FLAP LOUVER WINDOW Filed June 24, 1952 2 Sheets-"Sheet 2 UnitedStates Patent MOVABLE-FLAP LOUVER WINDOW Arthur Francis Agnew, Killara,New South Wales, Australia Application June 24, 1952, Serial No. 295,242Claims priority, application Australia July 11, 1951 4 Claims. or.20-62) This invention relates to louvre windows of the kind in whch theflaps (usually consisting of glass or other slats in channel-sectionedend brackets or holders) are pivotally supported in a pair of sidemembers or stiles which are adapted for aflixture to the sides of thewindow frame and which include means enabling the flaps to be turnedabout their pivot supports for opening and closing movement.

More specifically, the invention is directed to louvre windows of thegeneral kind referred to above in which the flaps have one of the stilesconstituting a housing for a flap operating mechanism. In this housingstile the slat holders related thereto are pivotally mounted byjournals, bosses or pins which pass through holes in the stile web andinternally thereof are furnished with gear pinions. "lhese pinions meshan operating rod which has rack teeth thereon and is longitudinallymovable within the stile. The actuating rod is usually carried in guidemembers which are intended to ensure the rod remaining in mesh with thepinions. Endwise movement of the operating rod has usually been providedfor by furnishing it with a lever or like devices which are accessibleon the indoor side of the window for manual operationdwhen the angulardisposition of the flaps is to be vane The prior louvre devices referredto above are defective in several respects. For example:

(A) Relatively complex keeper arrangements are required to ensure thatthe operating rod rack teeth remain in mesh with the pinion teeth, andeven with such keeper arrangements the teeth sometimes become forced outof mesh. When this difficulty arises it is necessary to dismantle thelouvre parts and either replace them with new parts or bend thedistorted elements back to proper form. The latter expedient is seldomsatisfactory because the previous overstressing of the parts, andrestoration to their original form, weakens them and this is conduciveto further occurrence of the same trouble.

(B) The slat holder and stile arrangements are seldom completely orsufficiently weatherproof.

(C) It is diificult in the prior arrangements to ensure that in closedposition the slats make sufliciently close contact to ensure againstingress of air draughts, rain or dust.

(D) There is always likelihood of some freedom for rattling in theclosed flaps.

(E) Special locking arrangements are necessary to prevent unauthorizedopening of the flaps from the outdoor side thereof.

(F) It is difiicult to move the flaps in a sufficiently controlledmanner to give complete assurance against slat breakage.

The object of this invention is to provide movable flap louvre windowdevices which overcome the above stated disabilities in a particularlysimple manner.

The present invention may be broadly summarised as the provision, in alouvre of the kind referred to above, of flap operating devicescomprising (a) for each of the flap journals in the housing stile, anintegral pinion on the journal and inside the housing stile, whereof theleast radius is greater than the journal radius and whereof theperiphery has a toothed part and a smooth circular part (b) a keeperdisc on the inner end of each of the pinions, whereof the radius isgreater than the tooth-tip radius of its pinion (c) an actuating stripextending longitudinally of the housing stile between the stile web andthe keeper discs, which for each of the pinions, has a hole thereinPatented Feb. 1, 1955 having two longitudinally extending straight sidesone of which has rack teeth projecting therefrom and between which theassociated pinion extends thereby to mesh its toothed part with saidrack teeth on one of said straight sides and to ride its said circularpart against the other said straight side, and (d) manually operablemeans for moving the actuating strip longitudinally within the housingstile.

An example of the invention is illustrated in the drawings herewith.

Figure l is a side elevation of a housing stile with two flaps shown inend section.

Figure 2 is an end elevation projected from Figure 1 in the directionindicated by 2-2.

Figure 3 is a reverse side elevation of a housing stile showing theinterior of the stile.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan taken on line 4-4 in Figure Figure 5 is aside elevation showing the inside of a gear box containing gearing foroperatlon of the actuating strip.

Figure 6 substantially repeats a portion of Figure 1 showing a minormodification.

A louvre assembly according hereto comprises a channel-sectioned housingstile 7 and a carrier stile (not shown) which may be be similar to thehousing stile in all respects. The two stiles are adapted fortace-to-face aflixture to the opposite sides of a window frame one sidemember of which is indicated at 8. The means of affixture may beordinary wood screws 9 which extend through holes 10 in the stile webs.

Each of the flaps consists of a glass or other slat 11 and twochannel-sectioned slat holders '12 (only the slatholders adjacent thehousing stile are shown in the drawings). The slat holders aresubstantially of conventional design except that for preference, theflap pivot points are ofiset relative to the slat (being in lugs 13 proecting sidewardly from the slat holder webs) so that the pivoting axesdo not coincide with the longitudinal centre lines of the slat holders.

The slat holders are afiixed, by their lugs 13, to journal and operatingmembers each of which consists of a journal portion 14 which extendsthrough and is neatly rotatable within a bearing hole in the stile web.Outside the stile the journals 14 have rivet stubs 15 whereby thejournals are fixed to the slat holder lugs 13. inside the stile each ofthe journals 14 has a pinion 16 thereon. The least radius of each pinionis greater than the radius of its journal, so that a marginal sideportion of the pinion may bear against the inner face of the stile web.The pinions are toothed along somewhat less than half their peripheries(as shown in the drawings) in order to provide a smooth riding face 17as referred to below.

Each of the pinions has a keeper disc 18 thereon. The radius of thesediscs is greater than the tooth-tip radius of the pinions for a purposereferred to later herein.

An actuating strip 19 extends longitudinally, and is longitudinallymovable, within the housing stile 7. This strip is located between thestile web and the keeper discs, and for each of the pinions has a hole20 therein. These holes 20 each have two longitudinally extendingstraight sides 21 and 22. Side 21 has rack teeth 23 thereon to engagethe related pinion teeth, and side 22 is smooth to constitute a ridingsurface for the untoothed portion 17 of the pinion. The width of theholes 20 is, of course, no greater than is necessary to provide neat butrunning clearance for the pinions, and the thickness of the strip 19 isless than the depth of the pinions only by an amount just sufficient togive the strip running clearance between the stile web and the keeperdiscs 18. It will be apparent that the neat fit of the pinions in theholes 20 and the presence of the keeper discs 18, without other supportfor the strip 19, effectively restrain that strip against any movementother than longitudinal movement and at the same time ensure that theteeth on the pinions will remain positively in mesh with the rack teethon the strip.

The strip holes 20 have bay extensions 24 therein to clear the stileholder screws (9) which extend through the holes 10.

The parts (numbered 14, 15, 16 and 18) of the journal and operatingmembers are preferably made as single onepiece members, as they thuslend themselves to simple manufacture by die-casting or the like:moreover the pinion teeth 16 are thus greatly strengthened by beingintegral with the keeper discs 18. It will be appreciated, however, thatparts 14, 16 and 18 could easily be made separately and joined togetherco-axially by flush-riveting, spot-welding or otherwise.

Manually operable means for moving the actuating strip longitudinallywithin the housing stile may consist of a simple lever of the kind (forexample) marked 19 or 28 in the drawings forming part of thespecification belonging to Australian Letters Patent No. 131,062 in thename of present applicant. For preference however such means are of thekind shown in the drawings herewith.

The web of the housing stile is suitably gapped or holed to enable astub 25, on a lead screw 26 to be secured to the actuating strip 19 asby riveting indicated at 27 (Figure 3). Screw 26 is freely movable inholes formed in two abutments 28 and 29 forming part of a gear casing30. A nut bevel gear 31 is rotatable between abutments 28 and 29 and isinternally threaded to accommodate screw 26. A driving pinion 32 meshesthe nut bevel gear 31 and is fixed to an operating shaft 33 borne in aside portion 34 of the casing 30. The shaft 33 is squared (35) orotherwise adapted to receive the driving boss 36 of a crank handle 37.The casing has holed lugs 38 enabling afiixture of the casing, as byscrews 39, to the WllldOW frame member 8; and for preference, the casingalso has a locator stub 40 which may be riveted over after insertion ina hole (not shown) in the housing stile web. An access hole 41 may beprovided in the actuating strip to enable this riveting to be carriedout after the actuating strip has been assembled in the stile.

In use, turning of handle 37 causes endwise movement of the lead screw26. This movement causes longitudinal movement of the actuating stripthus causing opening or closing movement of the flaps. The lead screwand nut gear arrangement prevents opening of the flaps other than byrotation of shaft 33. The lead screw operation of the actuating stripalso enables gentle closing of the flaps while enabling them to beclosed relatively tightly in overlapping arrangement for weatherproofingpurposes.

To give further weatherproofing assurance the stiles and the slatholders may be longitudinally and complementarily tongue-and-grooved sothat when the flaps are closed the tongues or ridges 42 and the grooves43 are in longitudinal register thus to form a barrier practicallyprohibiting entrance of rain between the stiles and the slat holders.The depth of the tongue and grooving would, of course, not be so greatas to impede opening or closing of the flaps, but because the flaps arepivotally mounted in an offset manner there may be sufficient resiliencein the lugs 13 to give a lightly loaded snap fastener effect when thetongues enter the grooves, thus to ensure close weatherproofing contacttherebetween.

If desired the slat holders may be un rooved, weather ridges 44 (seeFigure 6) being provided only upon the stile 7A, and being so positionedthat as the slat-holders 12A arrive in closed position they bear againstthe ridges. The ridges 44 may extend for only part of the slat holderlength, as shown in Figure 6, or; with some resilience in the lugs 13A,the ridges may extend for the full slat holder lengtg as is the casewith the ridges 42 shown in Figures 1 to I claim:

1. In a louvre of the kind comprising a channel-sectioned housing stileand a carrier stile both adapted for face-to-face affixture to theopposite sides of a window frame, and a plurality of flaps eachconsisting of a slat mounted by its ends in two channel-sectionedholders respectively pivotally supported by journals extending throughbearing holes in said stiles; flap operating devices comprising (a) foreach of the flap journals in said hous ing stile, an integral pinion onthe journal and inside the housing stile, whereof the least radius isgreater than the journal radius and whereof the periphery has a toothedpart and a smooth circular part (b) an integral keeper disc on the innerend of each of said pinions, whereof the radius is greater than thetooth-tip radius of its pinion (c) an actuating strip extendinglongitudinally of said housing stile between the stile web and saidkeeper discs, which for each of said pinions, has a hole therein havingtwo longitudinally extending straight sides one of which has rack teethprojecting therefrom and between which the associated pinion extendsthereby to mesh its toothed part with said rack teeth on one saidstraight side and to ride its said circular part against the other saidstraight side, and (d) manually operable means for moving said actuatingstrip longitudinally within said housing stile.

2. Devices according to claim 1 wherein said manually operable means formoving said actuating strip comprise, a lead screw connected to saidstrip, a nut bevel gear on said lead screw, a driving pinion meshingsaid bevel gear, means for restraining axial movement of said bevel gearand for retaining said pinion in mesh therewith, a shaft for said pinionand a turning lever for said shaft.

3. In combination, a louvre comprising a channel-sectioned housing stileand a carrier stile both adapted for face-to-face afiixture to theopposite sides of a window frame, weatherproofing ridges formed in thewebs of said stiles, a plurality of flaps each consisting of a slatmounted by its ends in two channel-sectioned holders each having anoffset lug thereon and each able to seat against one of said ridges, ajournal fixed to each of said lugs which extends through a bearing holein one of said stiles, and fiap operating devices comprising (a) foreach of the fiap journals in said housing stile, an integral pinion onthe journal and inside the housing stile, whereof the least radius isgreater than the journal radius and whereof the periphery has a toothedpart and a smooth circular part (b) an integral keeper disc on the innerend of each of said pinions, whereof the radius is greater than thetoothtip radius of its pinion (c) an actuating strip extendinglongitudinally of said housing stile between the stile web and saidkeeper discs, which for each of said pinions, has a hole therein havingtwo longitudinally extending straight sides one of which has rack teethprojecting therefrom and between which the associated pinion extendsthereby to mesh its toothed part with said rack teeth on one saidstraight side and to ride its said circular part against the other saidstraight side, and (d) manually operable means for moving said actuatingstrip longitudinally within said housing stile.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said lugs are resilientand said holders each have a groove formed therein into which one ofsaid ridges may enter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS182,075 Iaqua Sept. 12, 1876 306,816 Eckstein Oct. 21, 1884 1,582,129Cornide Apr. 27, 1926 2,394,059 Hite Feb. 5, 1946 2,565,447 Andresen etal Aug. 21, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 7182/32 Australia Dec. 5, 1932 599,567Great Britain Mar. 16, 1948

